All Saints Waterfalls

The Lierbach drops about ninety metres in seven cascades through a narrow granite gorge, with a stepped path and bridges climbing alongside. Above the falls stand the ruins of Allerheiligen, a Premonstratensian abbey founded around 1196; it was struck by lightning and burned in 1470 and again in 1555, was rebuilt each time, then dissolved in 1803 and struck once more in 1804, after which the buildings were sold and quarried for stone. What remains is the Gothic church shell, roofless, with its arches standing in a wooded valley. The site is used for open-air performances in summer.

What you actually see

• The seven cascades - about ninety metres of drops through a granite gorge.
• The abbey ruin - a roofless Gothic shell above the falls.
• The stepped path - bridges and steps climbing beside the water.
• The lightning history - a building repeatedly struck and finally quarried.

When to go

May to October; flow is strongest in spring. The path is icy and often closed in winter. Summer performances use the ruins in the evenings.

Honest expectations

The path is steep with many steps and slippery when wet. Late summer reduces the flow. Parking is paid and limited on weekends.

Nearby

The Black Forest High Road runs above; Oppenau lies below.